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F1's Bernie takes on 'half-wit' MP

MELBOURNE, Australlia - Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has demanded that a "half-wit" Australian MP, Kelvin Thomson, be sacked for insulting his daughter, Tamara, by calling her "a billionaire bogan".

Ecclestone, during a phone interview with Melbourne radio station 3AW, said the federal Labour Party MP was "stupid" and that he should be fired for being "a bit of an idiot".

He also questioned the Australian slang term "bogan", which roughly translates as "trashy" (though there are many more on Google).

"I didn't know what that means," he said. "Does he speak English?"

'WHO WAS THE HALF-WIT?'

Ecclestone said the term was more appropriate to Thomson, who had attacked him and his family during a speech in parliament earlier this week.

"Who was the half-wit who said these things? He should be fired, he obviously doesn't know what he's talking about," said Ecclestone. "You're not a communist state are you?

"She does a lot more work for charity than Mr. Whatever-his-name has, believe you me, and she's given a lot more money to charity."

Thomson had called for a debate on whether taxpayers in the Australian state of Victoria should continue to line the pockets of the Ecclestone family or if the $A50-million (about R420 million) spent on the Australian GP could be better-used.

His referred in his speech to a TV 'realitty' show, "Billion $$ Girl", that focused on Tamara's luxurious London lifestyle and the amazing gadgets installed in her home, among them a lift for her Ferrari, motorised racks for 200 pairs of shoes, a private bowling alley, a crystal bath that allegedly cost the equivalent of more than R12-million and an in-house night club.

IS OZ GP NOW AT RISK?

Thomson refused to apologise or back down. "She's not some Greta Garbo saying 'I want to be left alone'," he said.

Ecclestone chirped back: "Any money my children have they didn't steal, any money I've made I didn't steal, they can spend it in any way they want."

He also told 3AW that it was too early to speculate on the future of the Australian GP which will open the 2012 season in Melbourne on Sunday, beyond its current contract that will terminate in 2015.

"We don't have to make a commitment yet," Ecclestone said. "The world changes so fast."

Guess who'll get the blame if he ditches the Antipodeans.

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